Planograph tracer guide



2 1949 G. ANDERSEN PLANOGRAPH TRACER GUIDE Filed May 11, 1945 J PAAA/OGEAPH CUTTING 5 ro/ecHss INVENTOR. George Andersen ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 20, 1949 PLANOGRAPH TRACER GUIDE George Andersen, New'York; NiiYi Application May.11,.19.45, Serial No. 593,179

(Granted under. the,- act of. March 3,. 1883; as; amended. April .30, .1928; 3370.0. G...757)- roams.

This. invention relates to an improvement. in:

accuracy of'burning in an oxyeacetylene cuttingssystemh Eurther objects and advantagesof this inventiongas well as its construction arrangementand"operation, willbe apparent from the following description and claims in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a pianograph machine equipped for oxy-acetylene cutting incorporating a template tracer and illustrating the general arrangement of follower, template, and work being cut;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the guide device comprising the invention attached to the template tracer of a planograph;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective showing the template tracer device of the planograph machine.

Fig. 1 shows the general arrangement of a planograph machine set up for oxy-acetylene cutting including a template 3, template tracer I and guide device 2, and the work 4 being cut. The planograph includes a sliding carriage 8 mounted on rails I and an operating arm 6 secured to the carriage 8 by a pair of parallel motion links 9. The tracer It for the motor driven template is mounted on one end of the operating arm 6 and is caused to engage the template designated as 3. The other end of this arm carries the cutting torches above the metal being cut. The general arrangement of the planograph is well known and does not require further explanation.

A preferred embodiment of the present inven tion comprises a guide device generally designated as 2 in Fig.1, made accessory to the template tracer ID. The template tracer, shown in perspective in Fig. 4, forms part of the standand structure of the planograph and includes a motor-driven drive wheel ll mounted rotatably on-ashaft l2.. Saidishaft l2 istmounted'.;removably; in the-.frame ofz theutemplate tracer l0, and; secured thereinrby aiclampxscrew l l. Thou-device. l comprising thelinventionzis*attacheditot thet-tem pie-tetra cer l0 OfsthB: planograph; by'replacing the: standard drive w heel Eshaft: l 2. with an"; elongated rod? I 3,: as. imEigsaZeand 3.; mountedslidablyin'. the frame-of :the-templateztracerr l0: and zprro'ject l ing. laterallytherefrom. to; provide a;. slideway for the slide shoe l5. Therclamp screw; l4 securesltherrod l3rin-a;selected positionof adjustment. lheslide: shoe: I 5sincludesca bearing :plate l6, -bored. as at: I 1 toureceive sliding-lythe rod); l3: Guide rollers. I81.- aremounted on the "base" of the: slideshoe 15,.by; meansioit. axles that-canbevin'l thesforrmof: shoulder screws l9. These rollers are shown :to. be .of rstandard ball or roller bearing;v construction but-it issto :be lllldGlStOOdathStt? any well known wheel or slide construction can be used. Spring guides 20-20 project laterally from the base of the slide shoe l5 and are received slidably in bores 2| in an end plate 22 fixed to the free end of the rod l3 by the adjusting nuts 23-23. Compression springs 2424 are mounted on the spring guides ill-29 and are confined between the slide shoe l5 and the end plate 22 respectively.

Obviously many mechanical modifications of the structure disclosed in Figs. 2 and 3 could be employed. For example, a single spring mounted directly on the rod l3 could be used. The slide shoe can be made in a variety of configurations and a fixed sliding shoe could readily be substituted for the guide roller wheels I8.

The guide device is mounted on the motordriven template tracer so that the guide rollers l8 and the drive wheel II of the template tracer I0 straddle the template 3 as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. To accomplish this, it is only necessary to retract the slide shoe I5, position the device and then allow the shoe l5 to snap into position with the rollers l8 abutting the edge of the template whereupon the tension of the springs 24-24 firmly holds the template tracer ID against the edge of the template.

The motor-drive (not shown) on the motor driven template tracer it can now be started, actuating the drive wheel H. No further attention on the part of the operator is required until the template tracer has completed its trace and the burn out completed, as the mechanical engagement of the guide device on the template obviates the necessity of manual engagement of the template tracer on the template. The operator is thus free to set up another work job. The saving in time and labor is obvious.

The mechanical contact of the template tracer l against the template, obtained by using the guide device 2, results in greater work accuracy than is obtained when the drive wheel on the template tracer is manually guided 0n the template. Any variation in the manual pressure due to fatigue or occasional carelessness on the part of the operator in the latter method often results in work discrepancies with the resulting loss of material and time.

Various modifications and changes can be made in the subject device without departing from the scope of the invention.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

I claim:

1. A guide device for attachment to the template tracer of a planograph comprising a rod adjustably mounted on the template tracer whereby it may be positioned to extend a plurality of distances from said tracer, a slide shoe carried on the rod, an end plate fixed to the rod, guide means secured to the slide shoe and slidingly supported in the end plate and elastic means on the guide means to releasably hold the slide shoe against a template.

2. A guide device for attachment to the template tracer of a planograph comprising a rod mounted adjustably on said tracer whereby it can be positioned to extend a plurality of distances from said tracer, a slide shoe carried on said rod, an end plate fixed to said rod, a guide rod secured to said slide shoe and supported slidingly in said end plate, and a spring carried on said guide rod to hold said slide shoe releasably against a template.

3. A guide device for attachment to the template tracer of a planograph comprising a rod mounted adjustably on said tracer whereby it can be positioned to extend a plurality of distances from said tracer, a slide shoe carried on said rod, an end plate fixed to said rod, a plurality of guide rods secured to said slide shoe and supported slidingly in said end plate, and springs carried on each of said guide rods to hold said slide shoe releasably against a template.

4. A guide device for attachment to the template tracer of a planograph comprising a rod mounted adjustably on said tracer whereby it can be positioned to extend a plurality of distances from said tracer, a slide shoe carried on said rod, said shoe carrying a plurality of rollers, an end plate fixed to said rod, a guide rod secured to said slide shoe and supported slidingly in said end plate, and a spring carried on said guide rod to hold said rollers releasably against a template.

GEORGE ANDERSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Jones Jan. 22, 1946 

